BELOW ARE THE GUIDELINES FOR THIS YEAR'S SPECIAL ISSUE FEATURE AWARDS:

Entries should fit the topic of the special issue section of the 2017 double issue, "Weather Reports: All About the Weather." We are open to work that covers any of the many possibilities in how we think about and experience the weather through science, history, popular culture, art, and our own lives.

One winner in each genre category—Poetry, Fiction, and Literary Nonfiction—will be selected by the editors of Crab Orchard Review to be published in the issue and receive a $2,000.00 award. The editors are looking for the work in each genre that best embodies the topic of the special issue. Entries must be previously unpublished*, original work written in English by a United States citizen, permanent resident, or person who has DACA/TPS status (current students and employees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are not eligible).

The author's name should not appear on any page.

All entries must be submitted online between September 1, 2016 and November 5, 2016 (entries will be accepted online until 11:59:59 PM (PST) on November 5, 2016). All entrants will receive notification of the results by email by December 10, 2016.

All entries will also be considered for publication in the 2017 double issue. Regular Crab Orchard Review contributor payment rates ($25 (US) per magazine page. $50 minimum for poetry; $100 minimum for prose) apply to any accepted work that is not a genre winner.

We hope to make all editorial decisions for the issue by the end of February 2017.

GUIDELINES:

Poetry entries should consist of one poem up to five pages in length.

Prose entry length: up to 6000 words for fiction and up to 6500 words for literary nonfiction.

One poetry entry, one story entry in fiction, or one essay entry in literary nonfiction per $15.00 online entry fee; a writer may send up to three entries in one genre or a total of three entries if entering all competitions. One winner in each genre category—Poetry, Fiction, and Literary Nonfiction—will be selected by the editors of Crab Orchard Review to be published in the issue and receive a $2,000.00 award. The editors are looking for the work in each genre that best embodies the topic of the special issue.

*We have had people ask about what is eligible as unpublished work and at CRAB ORCHARD REVIEW we define "unpublished" as work that has not been published by an online or print publication and is not currently accepted for such publication; we do allow work that has been posted online by the writer (though we ask that the work be taken down from the time it is submitted until after the time it is published in CRAB ORCHARD REVIEW) or is available online as part of a thesis or dissertation required for the completion of a degree. Simultaneous submissions are considered for the all Crab Orchard Review contests, but the winning entries must meet the criteria as unpublished work described here.

OUR 2016 SPECIAL ISSUE FEATURE AWARD WINNERS

We are pleased to announce the winners of last year's Special Issue Feature Awards for our 2016 double issue of CRAB ORCHARD REVIEW, which will be published later this Fall. The winners were selected by the editors of Crab Orchard Review.

In poetry, our winner is Dante Di Stefano of Endwell, New York, for his poem “Einstein’s Sparrow.” In fiction, the winner is Matthew Pitt of Fort Worth, Texas, for his story “Genesis Sweet.” And in literary nonfiction, the winner is Laurel Fantauzzo of Thousand Oaks, California, for her nonfiction piece “Baptism.” Each of these genre winners will receive $2,000.00 and publication in CRAB ORCHARD REVIEW.

Thanks to all the writers who submitted to these Special Issue Feature Awards for giving us the opportunity to read their works and for their interest in CRAB ORCHARD REVIEW.

If you don’t find the information you’re looking for on our website, we can always be reached for information about current guidelines, upcoming themes, or contests by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to: